I hate to feel compelled to criticize George Hrab, but he was actually wrong when complained about the crazy anti-Obama guy saying that Mao overthrew the Republic of China. That was actually about the only thing that loon got more or less right in his whole windbaggy diatribe.

The Republic of China and Mao’s People’s Republic of China (PRC henceforth) are two completely separate entities, and Mao did in fact largely overthrow the former, leaving a (de facto but internationally unrecognized) rump state of the Republic of China in Taiwan. The Republic of China (ROC henceforth) was founded by the Guomintang (Nationalist Party) under Sun Yat-sen in 1912. This came about as the result of the 1911 Chinese Revolution, which overthrew the Qing Dynasty government. The ROC era was full of turmoil, and de facto control of much of China’s territory was had by warlords rather than the ROC government for some time. The Japanese invasion starting in 1937 further dislocated things. While all this was going on, the Communist Party was gaining strength, and during World War II the Guomintang and the Communists alternated between cooperation to try to expel the Japanese and conflict between the two parties. After Japan’s defeat, the two forces in China completely turned on one another, and the Chinese Civil War broke out. In the end, Mao’s Communists wrested control of the mainland, establishing the PRC, while Chiang Kai-shek’s Guomintang-led ROC was forced to flee to Taiwan, resulting in the political situation that has persisted since 1949.

In the hundreds of hours that I’ve listened to Geo’s speak, I think this is the only time I’ve ever heard him say anything flat out wrong. Anyway, I hope both Geo and you two glorious holes keep up the otherwise excellent work, and congratulations on one hundred episodes.

Whoops. Yes, you are totally right. In my zeal to talk about Mao not installing a DEMOCRACY, like the Anti-Obama nut described, I confused the first Chinese republic with the second “republic.” It must be because I was taught no-child left behind.

In the first story, when George Hrab is talking about the hooting crowd at the… spewing of drivel? Cecil said something many, many episodes about the church of the preacher saying to wall in “the homos” on reserves, and the woman spokesperson was utterly destroyed by Anderson Cooper. Cecil’s comment really struck me, “As they’re hooting and slapping the ground… these are people you don’t expect to do anything more sophisticated than throwing a stick at a monolith.”

Thank you for that memory.

Also, a specific element of that story, I think again Cecil: Technically, we were not founded as a democracy, and we are not actually a democracy. We are a representative democratic republic. In a true democracy, every citizen of age has a vote. A republic has a voting class. We have become much more of a democracy over the years. I think the only technical difference now is that prisoners loose their voting rights. Also, a true democracy does not use representatives, though no large country can do that.

That’s a talking point, though, because “democracy” sounds like “Democrat” and “republic” sounds like “Republican”. That makes it sound like the Republicans founded the country, and therefore are the rightful heirs, while Democrats are usurpers.

The glory hole is a big part of my life. I spend an inordinate amount of time at the glory hole. The glory hole is a place you can only take friends that you already know are comfortable with its glorious holiness. The glory hole isn’t always well recieved. Scrawled across the walls surrounding this vortex of ecstacy are some disturbing and inspiring musings by vagrants, unemployed philosophical armchair enthusiasts and probably psychotically constipated truckdrivers (or truckers if you want to be politically vapid about it). The standard “for a good time stay the fuck here” reminders are there, along with some not so shocking personal debates between dueling transient deucers. A couple insulting “cecul duz all the werk” inscriptions really add a bit of the charm to its glory. I’m glad to know this glory hole is 100 pumps in. Not to worry This guy on the other side keeps bringing up his father and he reaks of moonshine and haybails. Dude can work a small flock like everyone’s business though. Ungh..pheeew.

I agree with Murff, I feel like i am under qualified to maintain listener status.

I must give a resounding gloryhole to not only T and C and the guests but also to the listener contributions. Anything that leaves Tom and or Cecil unable to speak coherently as they laugh is something to be proud of.

100 shows is not only awesome as an achievement but also a lot of listening pleasure.

As the podcasting world has developed i have come to listen to more podcasts and to less radio and watch less television. This show has managed to offer me as much entertaininment and well as the incidental education as any television network has.